SS Dia
Encyclopedia
{|SS Dia was a 2,905 GRT cargo ship
which was built as Empire Beaconsfield in 1943. She was owned by the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and managed by Bank Line Ltd and Constants (South Wales) LTd. Postwar she was sold to her managers and renamed Hawkinge. She later saw service with different owners as Angusbrae, Hispania and Dia. She developed a leak and sank off Savona
, Italy
on 14 October 1964.
, Co Durham. She was yard number 1159, Empire Beaconsfield was launched on 2 October 1943 and completed in December that year. Empire Beaconsfield was built for the MoWT and placed under the management of Andrew Weir & Co Ltd, trading as the Bank Line. Her port of registry was West Hartlepool.
In 1943, management was transferred from Bank Line to Constants (South Wales) Ltd, Cardiff
. In 1946, she was sold to her managers and renamed Hawkinge. In 1951, she was sold to the Dundee, Perth & London Shipping Co and renamed Angusbrae. In 1956, she was sold to Willem H Müller & Co NV, Rotterdam
and renamed Hispania. In 1960, she was sold to the West End Corporation, Panama
and renamed Dia.
. Empire Beaconsfield had the UK Official Number 180066 and used the Code Letters GFMX.
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
which was built as Empire Beaconsfield in 1943. She was owned by the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and managed by Bank Line Ltd and Constants (South Wales) LTd. Postwar she was sold to her managers and renamed Hawkinge. She later saw service with different owners as Angusbrae, Hispania and Dia. She developed a leak and sank off Savona
Savona
Savona is a seaport and comune in the northern Italian region of Liguria, capital of the Province of Savona, in the Riviera di Ponente on the Mediterranean Sea....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
on 14 October 1964.
Career
Empire Beaconsfield was built by William Gray & Sons Ltd, West HartlepoolWest Hartlepool
This article refers to the place; for the Rugby Football Club see West Hartlepool R.F.C.West Hartlepool refers to the western part of the what has since the 1960s been known as the borough of Hartlepool in North East England...
, Co Durham. She was yard number 1159, Empire Beaconsfield was launched on 2 October 1943 and completed in December that year. Empire Beaconsfield was built for the MoWT and placed under the management of Andrew Weir & Co Ltd, trading as the Bank Line. Her port of registry was West Hartlepool.
In 1943, management was transferred from Bank Line to Constants (South Wales) Ltd, Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
. In 1946, she was sold to her managers and renamed Hawkinge. In 1951, she was sold to the Dundee, Perth & London Shipping Co and renamed Angusbrae. In 1956, she was sold to Willem H Müller & Co NV, Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
and renamed Hispania. In 1960, she was sold to the West End Corporation, Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
and renamed Dia.
Sinking
On 14 October 1964, Dia developed a leak and sank south of Savona, Italy at 44°12′N 08°38′E.Official Numbers and Code Letters
Official Numbers were a forerunner to IMO NumbersIMO ship identification number
The IMO ship identification number is made of the three letters "IMO" followed by the seven-digit number assigned to all ships by IHS Fairplay when constructed. This is a unique seven digit number that is assigned to propelled, sea-going merchant ships of 100 GT and above...
. Empire Beaconsfield had the UK Official Number 180066 and used the Code Letters GFMX.